All Hands on Deck for Early Detection of Invasive Mussels

Southcentral Alaska is a geographic ‘hotspot’ for terrestrial, freshwater, and marine invasions given that non-native species often arrive through ports of entry with high human population density or activity. Recognizing that Alaska is relatively free of invasions compared to southern latitudes, and the high ecological, economic, and cultural value associated with these intact ecosystems, the goal of the “Surveillance of Invasion Hotspots in Southcentral Alaska” project is to fill a gap in early detection surveillance in an area increasingly vulnerable to invasive species, using existing decision support tools and standing partnerships. Funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Center for Conservation Science (ACCS) at the University of Alaska Anchorage is the collaborative lead for the project and hosts databases and mapping tools for prioritizing aquatic invasive species monitoring. Learn more on the ACCS webpage.

To prepare for the introduction of invasive freshwater mussels (not yet detected in Alaska), KBNERR/ACCS coordinated a multi-agency planning team who designed and delivered a hands-on training as a two-day event aligned with the Kenai Peninsula Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (KP-CISMA) annual training, featuring classroom content and field sampling techniques. The classroom sessions were hosted at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and the field day was conducted at Skilak lake near Soldotna, AK.

A wide range of local, tribal, state, and federal agencies and organizations were invited to participate, focused on members of the Alaska Invasive Species Partnership (AKISP), members of the KP-CISMA, and included Tribal and Soil and Water Conservation Districts, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, National Park Service, US Forest Service, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and others.